Separable fastener



NOV. 28, 1933. SUNDBACK 1,937,299

SEPARABLE FASTENER Original Filed Dec. 14, 1929 INVENTOR.

Gideon Slmdbach BY ms.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1933 SEPARABLE FASTENER Gideon Sundback,Meadville, Pa, assignor to Hookless Fastener 00., a corporation ofPennsylvania Original application December 14, 1929, Serial No. 414,157.Divided and this application Jannary 28, 1932. Serial No. 589,421

Claims.

My invention relates to separable fasteners of the type comprisingseparable interlocking elements usually engaged and disengaged by aslider.

5 This application isa division of my co-pending application Serial No.414,157, filed December 14, 1929.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved form of fastenerespecially adapt-able for manufacture by the simple method described andclaimed in the above application.

Another object is to provide an improved form of fastener element inwhich a narrow projection on one side interlocks with a narrow slot in acorresponding element, such slot being on the opposite side of theelement from the projection and being located nearer the stringer thansaid projection.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofbent wire fastener element in which there is a projection struck up onone side and an interlocking recess or slot on the opposite side formedsolely by the space between the side portions of the element, thusavoiding the additional expense of specially forming a recess on oneside of, the element.

Such construction also has the advantage of,

maintaining all of the strength of the wire in the section at the bend,since no metal is displaced in forming the recess.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear during thecourse of the following specification.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illustrationtwo embodiments which my invention may assume in practice. In thedrawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fastener constructed in accordance with myinvention, part of the slider being broken away to facilitate illustra-Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a single fastener stringer havingelements made according to my invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through such a stringer showing therecess side of the fastener element;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of a portion of a fastener stringershowing one of the fastener elements;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a fastener element of modified form; and1 Fig. 7 is a side view of one of the elements of the form shown in Fig.6.

Fastening devices of the type to which my invention relates usuallycomprise a pair of flexible stringers such as those designated 10 in thedrawings, each having a. series of spaced fastener elements 11 attached.along one longitudinal edge. The fastener elements on opposite stringersare arranged in staggered relation so that they will mesh between oneanother in interlocking. A slider such as indicated at 12 is usuallyemployed to bring the fastener elements together successfully at anangle to each other and to cause interlocking of such elements as ittravels along the stringers. This general principle of 7c interlockingis' well known in the art.

The slider illustrated comprises a pair of overlying spaced wingspositioned on opposite sides of the stringer and connected by anintegral wedge-shaped portion 13. The flanges on the slider wings andsuch'wedge-shaped portion define a Y-shaped channel through which thefastener elements are guided as the slider is moved along the stringers.A pull member 14 is suitably connected to the slider for convenientlyacso tuating the same.

The stringer construction may be the same as any of those in common use.A woven or braided tape 18 of sufficient width for attachment to thearticle to be fastened has a corded edge built up along one sidepreferably by the attachment of separate cords 16 and 17 on oppositesides of the flat tape.

The fastener elements 11 are alike on both stringers and a descriptionof the construction of one of the elements will be sufilcient. Such anelement preferably comprises a continuous piece of metal such as a roundwire bent to substantially U-shape providing spaced side portions 19 and20 and an integral connecting portion 21 at the bend. The side portionsare formed to provide suitable attaching means or clamping jaws bysuitable indentations 24 and 25 which engage the cords 16 and 17 whenthe fastener element is clamped to the edge of the stringer. Theinterlocking devices comprise a projection 22 formed by striking upmetal from opposite edges and toward the middle on one side of theelement, said projection being narrow and elongated in the direction ofthe clamping jaws; and a recess or slot on the opposite side of theelement provided solely by the space between the side portions 19 and20, and located between the connecting portion and the stringers. Itwill also be noted that this slot is elongated in the same dl- 1 0rection as the projection and is of such size to receive loosely theprojection 22 of an adjacent element.

A modification of the fastener element construction is indicated atFigs. 6 and 7 in which the projection is formed by striking up metalfrom the front lower part of the element looking at a front view as inFig. 6, instead of wholly on the under side of the element as in Fig. 5.

The projection 220. thus provided is of slightly different form and maybe preferred from the standpoint of manufacture but the interlockingprinciple is substantially the same as in the other form of element.

As a result of my invention it will be observed that an improvedfastener has been devised having a novel wire element construction inwhich no special formation of interlocking recess is required andinwhichthe interlocking projection is of novel form. The strength of theindividual elements is much greater than in former elements of the wiretype because the section at the bend which determines the resistance tospreading of the clamping jaws, is not weakened by displacing metal toform a recess. A wire fastener element of great strength and one whichmay be preferred inmany instances, is thus produced.

While I have in this application described two embodiments which myinvention may assume in practice, it will be understood that theseembodiments are merely for the purposes of illustration and descriptionand that various other forms may be devised within the scope of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claimas my invention is:

1. In a separablefastener, a pair of stringers having fastener, elementsattached along their adjacent edges, each of said elements comprising asingle piece of wire bent to substantially U- shape to provide. sideattaching portions, and a connecting portion at the bend projecting fromthe stringers, said wire at the inner side of said bend beingundeformed, a projection struck up on one side of said connectingportion, and a recess on the opposite side of the element providedsolely by the space between said side portions adjacent the-bend, theprojections on one stringer being adapted to interlock with therecessesof elements on the other stringer.

2. In a separable fastener, a pair of flexible stringers having fastenerelements along their adjacent edges, each of said elements comprising asingle piece of substantially'round wire bent to U-shape to provide sideportions engaging around the edge ofa stringer, and a connecting portionat the bend, a projection struck up on one side of said connectingportion and a slot formed solely by the space between said side portionsand located between said connecting portion and the edge of thestringer, said projections on one stringer adapted to engage in saidslots on the opposite stringer when the fastener elements areinterlocked.

3. In a separable fastener, a fastener element comprising a continuouspiece of metal bent to substantially U-shape providing spaced sideportions forming clamping jaws for attachment to a stringer, and aconnecting portion adjacent the bend, said strip being deformed on oneside of said connecting portion to form a projection and beingundeformed on the opposite side and also on the inner side of said bend,said side portions adjacent the bend being spaced apart to provide aninterlocking recess. I

4. In a separable fastener, a fa'stener element comprising a continuousstrip bent to substantially Ushape to form side attaching portions, anda connecting portion at the bend, said wire being undeformed on theinner side of said bend and a projection-formed on one side of said.connecting portion by striking up metal from opposite edges toward themiddle, said side portions adjacent' the bend being spaced apart to forman interlocking recess on the opposite side of the element from saidprojection.

5. In a separable fastener, a fastener element comprising spacedclamping jaws and an integral connecting portion joining said jaws, aprojection formed adjacent the middle of said connecting portion and onone side thereof, said projection-being elongated in a directionparallel to said clamping jaws, and a slot between said clamping jawsand connecting portion on the opposite side of the element forinterlocking with a projection of a similar element.

GIDEON SUNDBACK.

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